Median XL: Sigma

I will keep a brief summary of some of the development screenshots posted in this topic.

It is worth mentioning that these screenshots were all created after the creation of this topic, by no means do they represent all the new features you can expect, remember: Sigma has been on development since 2012, so do the math. Additionally, you can check some core screenshots, these are un-related to content but focus on new functionalities instead. Note that the screenshots posted there are a work in progress, some of the features shown there might not be presented in the initial release.

Content Development

WORLDMAP OVERHAUL

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For those wondering what all these "new uberquest" entrances are, I'll explain - as some of you know, new stages could not be implemented in the past, so to create a new uberquest/map, an older level had to be replaced. For this reason, the location of most median uberquests has been defined by availability rather than logic or lore. For example, you're in underground passage, and you see a hole, and when you enter it you're in a Cathedral? It just makes no sense. And from a new player's perspective, this randomness factor isn't fun.

There are two goals for this in sigma:a) Keep the "main storyline" path clean. So while going from zero to baal, there will be no direct access to uberlevels. Instead, there will be either passages to the uberlevels or the entrance to these ubers will be harder to notice. In other cases, some uberquests won't even appear at all, and will be accessed via special means. b) Make the uberquest placements more lore-friendly. As you've seen before, butcher on tristram makes more sense, as it was this way in Diablo 1. A lot of quests are changing places/acts.

To push this further, heroic levels will be removed, since they were always a meh feature. And because everyone hates heroic bosses. With dark summoning being removed, it won't make much sense to have a "random chance" to find these bosses (and it makes even less sense to find them multiple times in a game). This doesn't mean however that the current heroic bosses will be removed, but yes they will all be reworked big time.

Act 1 - Butcher's Lair

Act 1 - Desecrated House

Act 1 - Chapel of Vanity

Act 2 - Island of Skartara // Twin Seas

Act 2 - Tran Athulua Jungle

Act 3 - Caldeum (town)

Act 3 - Profane Cells

Act 3 - Bastion of the Triune

Act 3 - Desolate Road

Act 3 - Ruins of Ureh

Act 3 - Kingdom of Shadow (formerly known as Ureh)

Act 3 - Torajan Jungles

Act 3 - Teganze

Act 3 - Realm of Median

Act 3 - Kurast 3000 BA

Act 4 - Plane of Pride // The Void

Act 4 - Plane of Envy // The Void

Act 5 - Vizharania

Act 5 - Crossroads of Time

Act 5 - Abaddon is... BACK!

AUTOMAP FIXES

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Many automaps from Median XL are currently broken. Fixing them takes some time, but some have been created:

Act 2 - Tran Athulua

Act 3 - Yshari Sanctum

STATES

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Added icons to display the current states (skills, curses, buffs) that are affecting the player. more...